Isolation switch operation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10714966-B2
Application number	US-201815956233-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2018
Priority date	Apr 18, 2018
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A vehicle includes a starter motor having a dedicated power source, an electric machine, and a controller configured to, responsive to a command for the motor to start an engine, open a switch to isolate the motor and source from a network electrically connected with the machine, and responsive to voltages on both sides of the switch falling within a predetermined range, close the switch to charge the source.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle comprising:
a first low-voltage power source being connected to a first low-voltage bus, wherein the first low-voltage power source supplies a first low-voltage to the first low-voltage bus;
a starter motor connected to the first low-voltage bus;
a high-voltage power source connected to a high-voltage bus;
a DC-DC converter connected to the high-voltage bus and a second low-voltage bus, wherein the DC-DC converter is operable to convert a high-voltage provided by the high-voltage power source to a second low-voltage supplied to the second low-voltage bus;
one or more accessory loads connected to the second low-voltage bus;
an isolation switch operable to electrically connect and disconnect the first low-voltage bus from the second low-voltage bus; and
a controller configured to,
open the isolation switch responsive to a starter motor being operated by the first low-voltage to start an engine, wherein the one or more accessory loads may continue to be operable by the second low-voltage supplied by the DC-DC converter, and
close the isolation switch responsive to the first low-voltage measured on the first low-voltage bus being substantially equal the second low-voltage measured on the second low-voltage bus, wherein the second low-voltage supplied by the DC-DC converter is operable to charge the first low-voltage power source.

2. The vehicle of claim 1 further comprising an electric machine connected to the high-voltage power source, wherein the electric machine and the first low-voltage power source are electrically disconnected when the isolation switch is open.

3. The vehicle of claim 2 , wherein the electric machine is operable to charge the first low-voltage source when the isolation switch is closed.

4. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the first low-voltage power source is a 12-volt battery.

5. The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a second low-voltage power source connected to the second low-voltage bus.

6. The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the one or more accessory loads are powered by the second low-voltage power source when the isolation switch is open.

7. The vehicle of claim 5 , wherein the second low-voltage power source is a 12-volt battery.

8. A method for a vehicle comprising:
supplying a first low-voltage to a first low-voltage bus, wherein the first low-voltage is supplied by a first low-voltage power source, and wherein a starter motor is connected to the first low-voltage bus;
supplying a high-voltage to a high-voltage bus, wherein the high-voltage bus is connected to a high-voltage power source;
converting the high-voltage to a second low-voltage and supplying the second low-voltage to a second low-voltage bus;
opening an isolation switch to electrically disconnect the first low-voltage bus from the second low-voltage bus when a starter motor is being operated by the first low-voltage to start an engine; and
closing the isolation switch when the first low-voltage measured on the first low-voltage bus is substantially equal to the second low-voltage measured on the second low-voltage bus.

9. The method of claim 8 , charging the first low-voltage source using an electric machine when the isolation switch is closed.

10. The method of claim 8 , charging the first low-voltage source using the high-voltage power source when the isolation switch is closed.

11. The method of claim 8 , supplying a third low-voltage from a second low-voltage power source connected to the second low-voltage bus.

12. The method of claim 11 , powering one or more accessory loads using the second low-voltage power source when the isolation switch is open.

13. A vehicle comprising:
a first low-voltage power source being connected to a first low-voltage bus, wherein the first low-voltage power source supplies a first low-voltage to the first low-voltage bus;
a starter motor connected to the first low-voltage bus;
a high-voltage power source connected to a high-voltage bus;
a DC-DC converter connected to the high-voltage bus and a second low-voltage bus, wherein the DC-DC converter is operable to convert a high-voltage provided by the high-voltage power source to a second low-voltage supplied to the second low-voltage bus;
one or more accessory loads connected to the second low-voltage bus;
an isolation switch operable to electrically connect and disconnect the first low-voltage bus from the second low-voltage bus; and
a controller configured to,
open the isolation switch responsive to a starter motor being operated by the first low-voltage to start an engine, wherein the one or more accessory loads may continue to be operable by the second low-voltage supplied by the DC-DC converter, and

close the isolation switch responsive to both the first low-voltage measured on the first low-voltage bus and the second low-voltage measured on the second low-voltage bus being within a predetermined voltage range.

14. The vehicle of claim 13 further comprising an electric machine connected to the high-voltage power source, wherein the electric machine and the first low-voltage power source are electrically disconnected when the isolation switch is open.

15. The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein the electric machine and the high-voltage power source are operable to charge the first low-voltage source when the isolation switch is closed.

16. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the first low-voltage power source is a 12-volt battery.

17. The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising a second low-voltage power source connected to the second low-voltage bus.

18. The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein the one or more accessory loads are powered by the second low-voltage power source when the isolation switch is open.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Shields Mark E
• Loiselle Matthew Thomas
• Keyse Brian
• Lee Josephine S

Classifications

• H02J7/663

  using battery or load disconnect circuits (H02J9/002 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60L3/0069 Primary

  relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current · CPC title

• Y02T10/92

  Energy efficient charging or discharging systems for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors specially adapted for vehicles · CPC title

• Y02T10/7072

  Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors · CPC title

• Y02T10/70

  Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries · CPC title